The Fire Bug and the Witch
by cuzimaw3som317
Summary: Just a little story revolving around a Fire Bug, a Witch, and a notebook.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own the X-men.**

* * *

There it was. Just sitting there. Taunting her. Read me, it whispered.

John's notebook.

Bright yellow (no surprise there), a pencil laying across it, no John in sight...it was perfect. To finally learn what he wrote about, to finally quench that curious thrist...

But she knew she shouldn't. In fact, she kept thinking about getting up and leaving.

But she wouldn't.

To distract herself, she started trying to figure out how he could've forgotten it at the Brotherhood's house, or why he brought it over, or even what he was doing there in the first place...

Coming back to Earth, she realized that she had, unknowingly, pulled the notebook toward her, so that is was right in front of her. Absentmindedly curling a finger in her hair, she was wondering about what to do with it when Toad entered the kitchen.

"Hey, Snuggle-bums, whatcha got there?" he said, plopping down on the chair next to her. She hexed him away, but not before he saw what she had infront of her.

"Suger-kins! What're you doing with that basterd's notebook?!" It was no secret that Pyro wrote a lot in his spare time. Toad lunged for it, but Wanda picked it up and held it away from him. Using his tounge, Toad managed to wrentch it from her grasp and was almost out the door with it before she hexed him. Dropping it, he laid in a heap by the wall where she threw him, and she kneed him in the nuts before picking up the notebook and heading to her room. However, she was intercepted by Pietro.

"." The notebook was out of her hands and halfway across the house before she even blinked.

"PIETRO! YOU GIVE ME THAT NOW!" The lights in the house started flickering, the ones nearest her breaking completely. Pietro was dragged back to her upside down by her hex powers while Lance came and started asking what was going on.

"She'sgotthatnogoodSOB'snotebookandIwanttoseewhathe'swritingandwhyWanda'ssointohim."

Wanda's eyes flashed dangerously as she said,"I'm **not** into him."

"That's right, cuz snuffle-bussims is my girl." Toad wheezed out as he staggered out of the kitchen, his hands still holding his privates area.

"Let's get something straight, _**amphibian**_. I'm not** your **anything. I'm not** anyone's **anything.** Especially **_**your **_girl." And with that, Wanda grabbed the notebook out of her twins still upside down hands and stormed from the house, wearing only her scarlett tank top and favorite black jeans, throwing on a black jacket as she left.

Fred lumbered down stairs, having just woken up at three. Staring at everyone, he asked:

"Did I miss something?"


	2. Chapter 2

**I don't own the X-men.**

* * *

Staring at the notebook, tempted to flick through it's pages to see if there was anything written on them, Wanda walked along with absolutly no idea of where she was going. It wasn't until she ran right into the door that she realized that she was at the Acolyte base.

Taking a quick glance at the notebook again, she knocked lightly, shyly, on the door. No one answered.

She knocked a little louder, then heard a bang and a muffled explosion. Slightly worried, she was about to knock a third time when the door swung open, a soot-covered Cajun standing in it's frame. Before she could say a word, he spotted the notebook that she now hugged to her chest and pulled her in, muttering something in French that sounded like 'thank God'.

Guiding her by the elbow, he steered her to the rec room, which literally was a wreak. There was obviously a large explosion in the middle, and all the furniture was forced against the wall. There was soot everywhere, and a man that she believed was Colossus was knocked out on the couch. But that didn't draw her attention as much as the other two people in the room.

A very sooty, hairy furball that she assumed was Sabertooth was held, by his neck, high up the wall by a lean, well muscled man with bright orange hair that was still unmistakable under all the soot.

"I'm going to ask you one more time, you overgrown waste of fur: Where. Is. My. Notebook." he said in a low voice that made Wanda very scared. It was frightning. Even the furball was quaking in his boots.

"I...I...I hid it at the Brotherhood's." He squealed as John flicked open his lighter with his other hand.

"Go. Get. It. Back." At this point, Wanda was hiding behind Gambit, actually terrified in her thick biker boots. Then, of course, the Cajun made it known that she was there.

"As much fun as it would be to watch Sabes act like a Golden Retriever, I'm afraid someone's already done his job." At this, he stepped aside so that John could see her.

Shocked silence followed as John and Sabes stared at her.

Then John's eyes went as wide as dinnerplates, and he dropped Sabes to the ground, where he hurriedly scampered off. John started to make his way toward Wanda, but she backed up, her eyes on the open lighter still in his hand.

Following her line of sight, he swallowed, then closed it and stuck it in his pocket. He took another step toward her. She took another step back. She couldn't help it-after what she saw, she couldn't forget. But it killed her to see the pain and regret in his eyes. So she didn't resist when Gambit took her by the shoulders and guided her to stand a few feet in front of him. He then proceded to drag Peter out of the room, so Wanda was left alone with John.

Even after everything that she just saw happen, after everything she heard him say, it wasn't the notebook that he was looking at.

It was her.

He was clearly trying to make eye contact, to will her to look up. It was obvious how much he wanted to reach out and hug her, to get closer to her, but he was too afraid that she'd back up again. Neither knew what to do, what to say, who should make the first move.

Wanda made the decision for them.

"Here," she held the notebook out in front of her,"No one read it, or anything."

It was fairly obvious that she was fighting to keep her voice steady. It was also fairly obvious that she was failing miserably.

John's eyes slid to the notebook, and he noticed that her arm was trembling slightly. He slowly took it.

She brought her arm back and folded it tightly across her chest. She knew that her fear was obvious to John, but that didn't mean she had to go all out with it.

Making a very conscious effort to not look at him, she waited.

John looked at the notebook. His hands were turning white from how tight he was holding it. He looked up at Wanda again. Then he threw the thing onto the couch Colossus had been sitting on. He surprised her by quickly closing the space between them, taking her by the shoulders so she wouldn't back away.

"Wanda..." he started, yet still she wouldn't look at him.

"Please look at me, Wanda." After a moment's hesitation, she did.

John almost wished that she hadn't.

Her eyes were filled with fear and hurt, which was already killing him. But...she was _crying_.

Not sob crying, no mini waterfalls yet. But...the way her eyes were filling...it wouldn't be long.

"Wanda...I'm sorry. I really am. There was no excuse for what you saw, for what I did. Please, Wanda..." he said pleadingly. But, unlike the first one, this was a soft, serene low voice. She knew he was sorry. She could see it in his eyes. But sorry wouldn't stop the nightmares of what she saw from coming.

John looked on, staring deep into her eyes. He didn't miss that the tears were starting to overflow. So when one came loose, starting a domino effect, he moved his hands to her face and wiped them away with his thumbs. She closed her eyes and started shaking, holding in sobs. He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her, whispering 'I'm sorry' over and over into her hair.


	3. Chapter 3

**I don't own the X-men.**

* * *

John laid on the still soot-covered couch, holding his notebook infront of him, wondering how things could've gone so wrong.

_He woke up, running his hands through his hair like normal. He was in a real good mood, mostly because things went perfectly last night with Wanda. He sighed, remembering..._

_Jerking back to Earth, he glanced at his clock. It was almost noon. Well, he was up early..._

_Picking a rather dark, yet still bright, yellow shirt and putting on his favorite pair of jeans, he reached for his notebook, planning on going for a walk in the park._

_Only it wasn't where he put it last night._

_Searching, thinking that it might've fallen, he came up empty-handed. Not even his pencil was there._

_Starting to feel kinda panicky, he started to tear apart his room, throwing everything everywhere. It took fifteen minutes for him to realize that it wasn't there. He ran out of his room._

_"Rems, mate! You seen my notebook?" he asked as soon as he saw his best friend._

_"Non, mon ami. Maybe Petey's seen it." Gambit followed John at a much slower pace as he went off in search for Colossus._

_"Petey! You seen my notebook?" he said when he finally found him playing tug-o-war with the remote with Sabes in the rec room._

_"I am sorry, John. However, I believe Sabertooth might have done something to it. He was laughing about something before we started this fight," the big man said, finally managing to wrentch the remote from Sabes hands._

_John's eyes turned on Sabes, a mad gleam in them._

_"Yeah, I took it, runt. After you chased me with fire cows yesterday, I decided to get a little payback," Sabertooth growled with a snarl. Now, Victor didn't know how important John's notebooks were to him. But Gambit did. So, him being Pyro's best mate and all, it wasn't very surprisingthat he pulled out a charged card and threw it at Sabertooth. It wasn't surprising when Pyro took out his lighter and caused a fire snake to wrap itself around Sabes. It wasn't even surprising that they did it at the same time. What was surprising was that, when they hit each other, the charged card and the fire snake caused an explosion so large that Colossus, who had just turned back to human form, was knocked out. Remy was thrown into the hall, knocking open the front door and landing in its frame. To Wanda, it had looked like he'd done it on purpose. Sabertooth was flung against the wall, where he was held by his neck by Pyro, who'd somehow managed to stay upright. He said, in a very low voice,"Where is my notebook?"_

_Sabes laughed, saying ,"You'll never get me to squeal, runt."_

_John lifted him higher up the wall, tightening his grip. He would learn later that this was about the time Wanda would walk in._

_"I'm going to ask you one more time, you overgrown waste of fur: Where. Is. My. Notebook," he ground out each word, meaning every ounce of menence in his voice._

_"I...I...I hid it at the Brotherhood's," Sabes squeaked out as John flicked open his lighter again._

_"Go. Get. It. Back."_

_Then Rems brought to his attention that someone had already brought it._

He remembered her face, undisguised fear on it before she realized she was showing weakness.

It killed him.

'I'm so sorry' he'd whispered later as she sobbed into his chest. After awhile, she'd pulled away, wiping her eyes. 'I'll...bye, Pyro,' she'd said.

Pyro, she said. Not Johnny. Not John. Not even her affectionate Fire Bug. Pyro.

It felt like she'd torn out his heart and driven a tractor over it.

John took another long look at the notebook before throwing it across the room.

* * *

The Prince of Theives stared at his best friend. Sorrow welled in his chest as he saw John throw his most prized poccesion across the room. Remy felt sorry for his friend. Enough for an idea to make everything better again to come to mind. Picking up Johnny's notebook, Remy walked out of the base, pulling out his (stolen) cell phone and calling his favorite person in the world.

"Hello?"

Remy smiled. Just the sound of her voice gave him butterflies. But this wasn't about him. It was about John.

"Bonjour, chere. Remy wonderin'...would petite mind doing him a small favor?"

"Ain't interested, Swamp Rat."

"Ahhh, but it isn't for moi. It's fo' mon ami John and his chere, Wanda."

Silence. Then-

"What ya got in mind, Swamp Rat? This don' mean Ah'm gonna help ya or anything...," Rogue replied.

Remy smiled as he told her his plan.


	4. Chapter 4

**I don't own the X-men.**

* * *

Wanda reached home, finally. She didn't know why she left the Acolyte base, or why she couldn't make herself turn around and go back. She was so preoccupied with these thoughts that she didn't bother hexing Toad when he tried to kiss her. She just dodged and made her way upstairs. Then that no good brother of hers came out of hiding.

"What happened, sis?" The fact that there was space between his words let her know that he knew something was wrong.

That didn't mean she was gonna tell him, though.

"Nuthin'."

Pietro gave her the Look.

"You didn't hex Toad. What. Happened," he ground out. He always seemed to pick the wrong times to act like the caring older brother.

"Nothing. Happened. I gave him his notebook. I left. The end," she said, continuing upstairs. Pietro zoomed infront of her.

"Tell me, Sis."

She gave him one long look, hoping that it showed that she didn't want to talk about it. His eyes grew a fraction of a millimeter wide, and she wondered if she gave away too much. But it served its purpose. He stepped out of her way and let her pass. She took the stairs slowly, trying to mask the fact that she felt like breaking down.

She did.

Until she got to her room, anyway.

* * *

Wanda laid on her bed, having finally cried herself out, staring at the ceiling. She didn't know that, across town, a certain Acolyte was doing the same thing.

She didn't know what she was making such a big deal of this for. She and Pyro were just friends. Friends that went for walks in the park. Friends that went to resterants together. Friends who went to the movies. Friends who-

She pushed that thought away, but she still saw it.

Friends who kiss.

But it was only one, she insisted. Just an accidental thing...it's not like they planned to do it. They went for a stroll in the park last night (just friends) and he'd said something funny (he was always making her laugh...), she'd laughed, and she'd stumbled, and he'd caught her, and she'd turned to face him, and her lips were just a hair away from his cheek, and suddenly their laughter became silent, and she was staring into his blue eyes, his deep blue eyes, getting lost in them, then all of the sudden her eyes drifted closed, and he pressed his lips against hers, and and they were kissing, and it'd felt so incredible, so warm, so passionate, so-

No. Just friends, she told herself, tearing herself away from the memory even though every essence of her being wanted to relive it again.

No.

_If you're just friends, then how come it'd bothered you?_ that doubtful voice at the back of her mind said.

Shut up, she told it.

Great. Arguing with herself.

Before she started yelling at herself for arguing with herself (y'all do it all tha time, don' ya?), her phoned buzzed. Picking it up, caller I.D. said _**Rogue**_.

She answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey, sugah, how ya doin'?" Instant suspision.

"Fine. What are you calling for?"

"Oh, jus'...ya know...wantin' ta see how ya're doin'."

"Since when have you called to ask me about my welfare?"

"Si'ce Ah foun' out whut happened with John."

"Nothing happened," she answered too quickly.

"Riiiiight. Tha's why Ah gotta call frum a very distressed Swamp Rat 'bout Johnny-boy." Stupid Cajun.

"Nothing. Happened," she said as she heard a car pull up. Crap. Running to her window, she say Rogue get out. Double crap.

She snapped her phone shut and waited, trying to come up with some story. Nothing came to mind.

When Rogue came in, she had no idea what to say. Of course, this was **Rogue**. She could read her better than an open book. One hint that she wasn't telling the truth, Rogue would absorb her and learn it all anyway.

Guess she'd have to tell the truth. Ugh.

Rogue sat down next to her.

"Sugah, Ah know that John wuz threat'ning tha furball when ya wa'ked in. When Ah asked wha' happened, Ah meant wha' happened ta _**ya**_?"

Wanda gave her a long look, then just decided that she'd say what she was feeling.

"I was scared shitless, Rogue. I mean, I know that he can protect himself and everything. I've seen him fight with the same expression on his face. But...only in those fights were someone was trying to kill him. Not...not..."

"But, sugah, ya wan't uh man who can protect ya."

"But...he scared me, Rogue. It made me feel like...like...he could hurt me."

"Y'all have been friends fo' uh while now, right? Has he evuh givin' ya reason ta fear him?"

"Well...no, but-"

"No buts. Stop an' th'ank, girl. Maybe tha notebook's important ta him. Did ya ask? An', if i's, th'an woul'n't ya wan't uh guy who woul' fight fo' somethin' near an' dear ta him...lahke ya?"

Wanda thought for a second. Then thought longer, her eyebrows pulling together. She hadn't bothered to figure out **why** he was making such a big deal out of it. Maybe it **was** important to him, maybe she had just over reacted, maybe...

Maybe she should talk to him.

As if on cue, her phone started buzzing. Pulling it out, caller I.D. said _**Fire Bug**_.

She was about to flick it open when Rogue stopped her.

"Ya need ta talk ta him in person, sugah."


	5. Chapter 5

**I don't own the X-men.**

* * *

Johnny was still sitting on the couch. Sabes had come in earlier to taunt him, but he'd left when Johnny'd thrown a fireball at him. Damn overgrown cat.

Remy came over to talk, but before he got the words out, Johnny cut him off.

"Not in the mood, mate. Not in the mood...," he mumbled out.

"Well...whenever you feel like talkin', mon ami...Remy here for you."

Remy left, and Piotr moved in to take his place.

"John, what happened was not your fault-"

"Please, Petey. I'm just really not in the mood. I'm sorry about knocking you out, though, mate."

Petey left, knowing that if he stayed John would probably apologize again, for the billionth time.

Johnny called Wanda again. _Please pick up_, he prayed. _Please, Wanda._

_Please..._

* * *

Wanda's phone buzzed again. She'd given it to Rogue so she wasn't tempted to open it. Didn't really help.

"Why can't I just call him to tell him that I'm on my way?"

"Cuz, sugah."

"That's not a good reason."

"Ah know. Not changin' mah mine, though."

Sighing, Wanda just stared out the window at the passing trees. Rogue had offered to drive her. She'd refused, but, for some strange reason, Rogue wanted to be there. Wanda had the feeling that it had something to do with some Cajun, but oh well. All that mattered was that she was going to be with her Fire Bug soon. She didn't know what she was going to say, but that didn't matter. The best speeches weren't the written ones, anyway.

_I'm coming, Fire Bug._


	6. Chapter 6

**I don't own the X-men.**

* * *

Johnny heard the door connecting the rec room to the kitchen open. He'd rearranged the furniture back to normal, so he didn't see who it was. He was still laying on the couch.

"I told ya, Rems, I'm not in the mood to talk," he said, knowing that Colossus could never make such a little amount of noise.

"I sure hope you are, Fire Bug," Johnny's eyes widden as he sat up and looked at Wanda," cuz I didn't come all the way down here for nothing."

Johnny stared a second longer before jumping over the couch and rushing to her.

"I'm sorry, Wanda, I really am, I--" he was interrupted by Wanda placing a finger to his lips.

"I'm the one who should be sorry, Johnny. I totally over-reacted. Your notebook probably means more to you than I thought it did. I was stupid to go all overboard like that. _**I'm**_ sorry," she said, looking down a bit shamefully, her cheeks a delicious shade of red.

Johnny lifted her chin up.

"Shelia, I should have told you. For that, _**I**_ am sorry. I scared you. I'm even **more** sorry for that."

She gave him one of those small smiles that just brightened his day so much.

Taking a step closer to her, so that they were just a hair away, he whispered the words he'd been wanting to say he first met her.

"I love you."

Then he pressed his lips against hers, hoping that she wouldn't pull away.

She didn't.

So this is what bliss feels like..., Johnny thought as her hands ran up his arms and into his hair.

No. Not bliss. Heaven, he corrected as he pressed his hands flat against her back.

Heaven really is a place on Earth. Belinda Carlisle had the right idea.

* * *

Rogue cracked open the door, spying on them. She released a small smile as she saw them kiss. The Swamp Rat's plan had worked. Of course it had. His plans always worked.

Speak of the devil...

Remy had slid behind her, watching Johnny and Wanda as well. Piotr had politely excused himself, as he knew where Remy was planning on going. As did Rogue. She wasn't stupid. She saw the Cajun's hand slowly reach around her waist. However, she'd let it slide. This time. His eyes weren't on her, they were still on Wanda and Johhny. He was just...well...showing his appreciation for her helping him, and his...pride...for his plan working. Yeah. No perverted thoughts at all.

He pulled her a bit closer as his hand drifted a bit lower.

Well, almost no perverted thoughts, anyway.

After elbowing him (hard), she took another long look at the lovebirds before giving them their privacy back. Closing the door, she turned back to the kitchen to get herself a drink of apple juice.

"How'd ya know dat da cups be dere, chere? Ya been here of'en? An' ya thought dat Remy was da stalker!" the cocky Cajun smirked.

She flipped him the bird.

"Ah've got ya mem'o'ries, Swamp Rat. Ah'm leavin' afta this. Tell Wands tha she can walk herself home, 'less she wants ta spend tha night," Rogue said with a smile.

"Dis Cajun was wonderin', chel, if maybe chere wouldn't mind staying a bit longer, either," Remy grinned.

Back turned, Rogue didn't see it, so she was a bit slow at getting his meaning.

"Doin' whut?"

"Well...," he hinted at, smoothly sliding next to her and wrapping an arm around her.

Doing a full spit-take, she turned to look at him with wide eyes for a millisecond before pushing him away.

"Ah'm leaving. Bye. Tell Wands tha' Ah've got errands if sh'e asks," she said hurridly, slaming the door on her way out.

She knew Wanda was going to spend the night. She'd have to pick her up tomorrow, since she had her phone, learn details. After all, no matter how Goth she was at heart, some things she just had to know.


End file.
